Product marketers have the most unique marketing position. Unique in that almost no one knows what we do!
We live at the intersection of product, sales, marketing, and customer success and use a combination of storytelling and technical know-how to communicate our position and the value of our solutions to the marketplace.
Because we are such a unique breed among marketers, our resource pool for self-improvement is small compared to our counterparts in email marketing, demand gen, and even social media marketing. We assembled 11 books to help you hone both your technical and your go-to-market skills to make product launches, competitive research, analyst relations, and other facets of our complicated role more successful.
The Launch: A Product Marketer’s Guide: 50 key questions & lessons for a successful launch by Yasmeen Turayhi
You might think your product is the best on the market, but if you haven’t aligned its feature set to customer demands, it will fail. This is because most companies don’t have a go-to-market strategy or conduct validation before sending their product into the world. The Launch will tell you everything you need to know about successfully launching a product, including 50 questions you should be asking with every new kick-off.
The Product Marketing Manager: Responsibilities and Best Practices in a Technology Company by Lucas Weber
Product Marketing Managers exist in two worlds, just as their title implies. They have a marketer’s creativity and communication skills and the technical understanding to take detailed product information and distill it down for the layman. Lucas Weber breaks down the skills and responsibilities of Product Marketing Managers and offers best practices to excel in the role.
The Influential Product Manager: How to Lead and Launch Successful Technology Products by Ken Sandy
Product Managers are in high demand, and it’s no secret why. Technical products are reaching customers at a breakneck pace, and many organizations struggle to keep up. If you’re already in Product Marketing or considering joining, you need to read this book. It has everything you need to hit the ground running, from understanding the product life cycle to aligning your product with market needs.
Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love, Second Edition by Marty Cagan
Want to know how the big dogs of tech deploy products? Inspired details how organizations like Google, Apple, Microsoft, and many others spotlight their products. But don’t worry, you don’t have to work for a tech giant for this book to be useful. This updated second edition has something for everyone. From early stage start-ups to long-established companies, you’ll learn how to create a strong presence in the market, highlight the value of your product, and improve customer engagement.
Product Marketing Misunderstood: How to Establish Your Role, Authority, and Strategic Value by Richard King
While not a new field, people are often unsure about Product Marketing. They might have a vague understanding of the role or might not even know its purpose. Don’t let product marketing remain misunderstood in your organization. Product Marketing Misunderstood walks through the fundamentals of the job and shows how you can build influence in your organization.
Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal
Ever wonder why some technologies stick in customers’ minds, and others are forgotten soon after introduction? It’s because the sticky products tap into their customer’s behavior and get them hooked on their product. Outlining a four-step process to build customer habits, Hooked provides insights into bringing customers back time after time.
Product Marketing Debunked: The Essential Go-To-Market Guide by Yasmeen Turayhi
Another book packed full of insights from Yasmeen Turayhi, Product Marketing Debunked showcases how to create your own go-to-market strategy for your product. Learn how to take unfinished ideas and turn them into a complete strategy. Included are a go-to-market checklist as well as tested frameworks that can be applied to any company.
Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It by April Dunford
You have an awesome product, but it won’t go anywhere if no one else knows it. Obviously Awesome details how you can connect with your audience, leverage market trends, and the components of effective positioning. Keep your product from fading into obscurity and give it the spotlight we both know it deserves.
Escaping the Build Trap: How Effective Product Management Creates Real Value by Melissa Perri
We know modern selling is customer-focused. Then why are so many organizations concentrating on cranking out features when they should ensure they capture customer needs? Product Marketers can help organizations uncover and solve these customer problems, and Escaping the Build Trap can show you how. Discover how you can support both your customers and your company while meeting business objectives.
Product Marketing, Simplified: A Customer-Centric Approach to Take a Product to Market by Srini Sekaran
For the most straightforward approach to all things Product Marketing, check out Product Marketing, Simplified. Covering all the basics, this book details how to build a world-class product marketing strategy from beginning to end, starting with understanding the customer journey and ending with influencing the product roadmap in your organization.
Loved: How to Rethink Marketing for Tech Products by Martina Lauchengco
Product Marketing can make or break your product. Why? Because even stellar products can be beaten out by organizations that understand the importance of product marketing fundamentals. Loved describes the best way to bring your product to market, shape your product’s image, and make customers want to sing your praises.
